NEWS OUT OF SPAIN Of infinite concernment to ENGLAND, IN TWO LETTERS From Mr Brian I: anson a son of the Church in Spain, to his father Sr BRIAN I: ANSON, and brother D. HEN. I: ANSON of the Church of ROME in England, both now in the King's Army, there to promote the Rights and Liberties of the same Holy Church. Published, thereby to give clearer intimation to all the Inhabitants of England, 1. What that Church is, and the sons thereof? 2. What is the But and White there, whereto the Papists hands, heads, and hearts stand ready bend now? 3. What their Religion is, what their devotions are? for know one Papist, and know all: The mind of all Papists is seen, clearly read and understood by the mind of one. I Have perused these two Letters from a son in Spain to a Father and brother in England. I find them of public concernment, as the Publisher of them hath amply, and usefully showed; besides, A divine Providence hath appointed it so; Therefore I cannot but affix unto these Letters, and the Publishers Observations my Imprimatur, ja. Cranford. Aug. 12. LONDON, Printed by G. Miller in the year 1644. The Publisher of these Letters, bespeaketh the Reader, and greets him in these words. Understand, Good Reader, That these Letters were caught-up by the way betwixt Calize in Spain, and Bristol in England: then sent unto me by a precious and honourable Friend, a Minister a M. Will. Addert●y. in the Ship, wherein he has a Captain like himself, one, I hope, that fears GOD above many b Captain Rob. Moulion. . I received these with this injunction, To make them public and as useful as I could. By God's help I will endeavour it; Because God commands it so, To learn wisdom from the unjust; and in imitation of my precious Friend, whom God hath taught this Art, To turn poison into an Antidote. It is easily learned, when God will reach it; and very Nature shall help us here, for the greatest Balsams do lie enveloped in the Bodies of powerful Corrisives: And poisons, as a great Physician says, contain within themselves their own Antidote. In the head of a Toad, some tell us, is a precious stone: but who found it there, I cannot tell. This I can tell, That it is our wisdom, and it should be our work, To gain instruction from every thing. Now Reader, this must be the work at this time; whereunto I will be as helpful unto thee as I can, That thou mayst inform thy judgement, and understanding from these Letters, touching grave and weighty questions; and be able to give short but clear resolutions thereunto. Then thou shall see what use to make of all this in the close. For the informing of thy judgement, this is the first question, Concerning the Church of Rome or of Spain (both are one and the same.) Q. What Church is it? A. A malignant Church; wasting and destruction are in their paths: the ways of peace they have not known. Q. What her sons and daughters are? A. As their Mother always hath been, and now is (but now more enraged then ever, like a she-beare rob of her whespes) mad upon their idols evermore, and now mad with rage, and drunk with the blood of God's faithful ones. Q. How do their hands, and heads, and hearts stand bend now? A. To destroy a Mother Church in England; nay, all over the world. Q. What is their Religion? A. More brutish than the Pagans is now adays; They have many petty-gods, but I do not know, That they have one Goddess among them all. Q. Who is the father of their Religion? A. The Pope. Q. Who their Godfather? A The stock, when they have lavished gold upon it; he undertakes for them sure as their surety, for to it they bow, we see; and ask blessing, I think. Qu. Whom do they conceive is the hearer of Prayers; and giver of all Blessings? A. Queen Mary, the Queen of Heaven. Q. What is the scope of their devout Prayers? A. It is double, from a double eye, and a cloven heart: 1. That they may rise at Court, grow rich, great and high in the world. 2. And, that their Country may fall into ruins: And God's Servants all into their own blood, and wallow therein: so they pray. Q. By what means will they compass all this? A. By the mediation of the Queen of the earth; and by the sole intercession of the Queen of Heaven; into whose hands the matter is referred; for the transacts all their affairs in Heaven and earth. Q. What way do they take for the effecting of all this? A. The old path, the path of the Destroyer, wherein they have stood these 1000 years up to the knees in blood; where you must note all along, That they make lies their refuge too; under falsehood they will hid themselves, horrible lies they will tell for advantage, so to promote their suit with the Queen on earth, and Queen in heaven. Q. Who are the most bloody and implacable enemies to our Church and Kingdom? A. They that were friends once, and are Apostates now; who had the form of Godliness only, and cared for no more; These are the most implacable adversaries against God and good men, as it is at this day; where we should note, That the most horrible impieties, iniquities, outrages, all these will stand with the form of Godliness, as is most legible, 2 Tim. 3. from the first verse to the 6. Q. What counsel give they to their Prince? A The very same which Athaliab gave to her son Abaziah; To do wickedly, so to hasten the destruction of his own house, and of his Kingdom, whereby it appears, That their Lord and master has the worst servants of any lord in the world, for their work is, To make themselves miserable, and their Lord, as he was, whom Seracides calls the foolishness or shame of the people. Eccles. 47.23. Q. What subjects are they? A. The Devil hath no better in the world, no more right-handed men; or, to speak in two words, as he doth, KINGS-MEN, saith he, DIVELS-MEN, say I, for they will spend their blood for their King, so be he will hath his sword in Heaven (The true Church) make it drunk with the blood of God's precious ones. Now, Reader, proceed to the Letters, and hear what the man saith, when thou hast so done, thou shalt thereby see, That the Questions and Answers before cited, are all the result from the Letters, and having observed that, thou shalt hear more from me. ☜ IHS. Cadize, the 12. of April, 1644. Dear Father, MY last unto you was about a month passed by a Bristol ship under covert of me to Colonel Collon, which I hope is come in safety to your hands, wherein I advised you of the receipt of three from you, and one from my brother Henry. I could not then procure, etc. I sent it (meaning his Tobacco) to Colonel Co●●n, desiriar, him to send unto Oxford by the first safe conveyance. The joy I received by yours to bear of his Majesty's prosperous and victorious proceed, was not greater than the sorrow and grief received since (although I do not believe one word that they say, being all or the most part of our nation that live here most damnable traitors and rebels) they have reported that the Scots have taken Newcastle, and York, and are masters of the North; that my Lord of Newcastle is retired to Oxford, that Sir William Waller hath given my Lord Hopton a great overthrow, and beat him into Salisbury; and that this Summer they will pluck the Crown from his Majesty's brows, which God defend. I admire that his Majesty doth not prevail with the King of Spain, to seize upon all these accursed Rebels estates and ships. He undertake that if the King of England could procure so much favour of his brother the King of Spain this next vintage (for that is the best time to seize upon all such ships and estates as do belong to any Rebels,) he might thereby furnish himself with a brave fleet, and money to set it out. I would I were in Commission against them, first to show my zeal and great desire to serve my Sovereign, and secondly, to chastise such base ill-borne villains that dare open their mouths, and much more take up arms against their natural King, and so good and virtuous a Prince, and that hath so many years protected them in such great prosperity, but this is my passion and folly to give counsel to them that are able to give it to the whole Universe, & since it hath been my ill fortune not to serve him with my blood, I have & still shall assist him with my prayers. I advised you in my last Letters of the small hopes of gain, and the great adventure and peril of the trade to Bristol in wines, I have a far better trade here to the Indies, and hope thereby to raise myself to an estate; I wrote you likewise in my last giving you light of a way to raise me to great preferment and honour in this Country, which I trust, if you received my Letter, you have put in execution. I hope there will be no delay in a business of so great importance, and where there will be no other expense, but of time and solicitude. The business is this, That you and my brother Henry use all diligence by friends and favour [and lying] to procure from the Queen of England a Letter of favour to her sister the Queen of Spain in this manner. That Don Briano I: anson the bearer of this, is son to a noble Gentleman, and servant of hers, who by reason of the great persecutions in England of the Roman Catholics [an horrible untruth] travailed into Spain, and there married a Gentlewoman natural in Cadiz. And that all his parents and kindred have, and still do preserve themselves in the Catholic faith: [An horrible lie, and more horrible it is, because he belies the dead, his own dear Mother in the grave; he knows, and all that knew her, That she detested Popery, and died a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ: And for his Father, and Brother, they were Protestants too (at large) and so they would be accounted still. They never turned themselves to the Church of Rome; till the King turned his hand and sword there, against the Church of England. And for his Uncle M. John I: anson, his Father's eldest Brother, he abhorreth Popery, and detesteth his brothers and Nephew's ways. And therefore the younger Brother, the Knight, hath begged the lands of his eldest Brother the Gentleman, as I am informed, And the King hath given all his Right to him against law. But M. John I: anson, holdeth his Right still by the Tenor of the law, and that is a strong hold. But this is enough to inform all, that will be informed, The manner of Papists, they will blaspheme their dearest friends for advantage; and to promote their Catholic Faith;] In conclusion, desire the Queen her sister to favour me as a servant of hers, and that I being a younger brother have but small means, and in that regard desire her Majesty of Spain first to honour me with a habit without any costs or charges (which are great) and secondly to bestow some office upon me, whereby to maintain myself, and I make no question but by this means to raise myself to good preferment. Let the Letter be sent directly to me lie some good ship, and if you can conveniently procure a Letter from my Lord Hopton, to his brother my Lord Ambassador in Madrid d Observe: we have an Hopton in Spain soliciting the cause there, as well as an Hopton in England fight here; True Spanish both. to favour and assist me to his power upon any occasion, it would not do amiss: but the chief matter is Her Majesty's Letter, which being penned in the manner that I have advised will questionless stand me in great stead. I hope that my former Letter came to your hands, and that you have put in action this my desire, and that with all brevity I shall hear from you as also of the health of all my brothers and Sisters, for whom with yourself, my prayers shall never be wanting. So at present I commit you to God; and rest Your obedient and dutiful son, BRIAN I: ANSON. ☜ IHS. Cadiz the 12. April, 1644. Dearest Brother; I Wrote to you by the way of Bristol about a month past, which I trust you have received, because it doth very much import me, which if you received, I make no question but you have with my Father put in action the procuring of the Queen's Letters of favour in my behalf to the Queen of Spain her sister, that thereby I may raise our Name in this Country to honour and means: for unless I may freely enjoy the Roman Catholic Religion without any danger of my person or estate, there is no reason I should leave a place where I enjoy liberty of conscience and live in very good esteem. But I make no question, but after the King hath subdued his rebels, be will at least give freedom of conscience to the Roman Catholics that maintain the Religion of all our Ancestors, as well as he doth and hath done to so many sorts and Sects as are this day in England, brought up and invented by particular modern and light-pated Apostates: But I trust in God that these wars will redound to his honour, and to the * Observe with all observation what the Papists now so furiously drive after, The Settling, etc. I had enlarged upon their Trust, and set the Churches Trust against it, but there was no place for it. setting once again of the true Catholic and Apostolic faith in that blessed Country, that deserved (for the great devotion of the inhabitants once to the Mother of God) the name of the Dowry of the blessed Virgin, Queen of Angels; and I trust in God to be an eye witness of so great a blessing, and to lay my bones in my native Country; however and in the mean time it is very convenient to procure honour and preferment in this Country a He would lay down his body here, but he would be raised in Spain first. You well observe who rules the Sceptre in Spain. , which I find no other way of possibility, but this that I have formerly advised my Father and yourself, and now again do desire, which is the procuring of her Majesty's Letters of favour to her sister the Queen of Spain, WHO GOVERNS ●ERE MORE THAN THE KING. Let the Letter be to this effect, but better indicted; Don Briano I: anson the bearer hereof, is the son of a noble Gentleman and servant of her Majesties; who by reason of the persecution of the Roman Catholics in England, and being a younger brother, with small hopes of any estate, traveled into Spain, where he married a Gentlewoman natural of Cadiz; and that all my Parents, Kindred and Allies, have and still do continue firm Roman Catholics, and that they have suffered much in their temporal estates only for the maintenance of the Catholic faith: This point I pray let it be amply set down, for it will much import me in my pretences b Observe how be would have his lie enlarged and insisted upon for advantage. , and that in this regard her Catholic Majesty (for that is her Title) will be pleased for her Majesties of Great Britain's sake, to take notice of me and honour me with an habit of Calatrana or Alcantra, without costs and charges (which are great, and my ability weak,) and that her Majesty would bestow upon me some Office, either in Court or elsewhere, assuring her Majesty that I shall always accomplish my obligation, for the which her Majesty of England doth pause her royal word; send the Letter with all possible security to my hands in Cadiz, and from hence I will go to Madrid, and I commit the success of this, and also of all other matters touching me or mine, to the advocation of the blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Angels and mother of God, of whom c When you have read this then read 2 Thes. 2.11, 12. I am confident she will desire the good success of these my endeavours, if these may redound to the honour of God and salvation of my soul, and to whose blessed advocation I do likewise ●●●●y commend my Father, yourself, and all the rest of my brothers, and sisters, and friends, and the whole Kingdom in general, beseeching her Majesty that as she is the FOUNTAIN of GRACE., as we are assured by the salutation of the Angel, Ave Maria gr●t●a plena, dominus ●ecu●, benedicta tu in mulie●●us, & benedictus tructus ventris tui Jesus; so she will be pleased to communicate to me and all my kindred in particular, part of that grace, that thereby we may attain to glory. Good Brother forget not to write to me by all conveyances, advising me of the happy proceed of the King, for I must confess I would not willingly so much as hear any thing to the contrary, although it be false; and pray use your friends and endeavours for the procuring of this Letter, for I trust thereby to be raised, Mr Richard Archdale goeth now in this Fleet for London, and from thence he saith be will go for Oxford, he is a true KINGS-MAN, and there are but very few in these parts, I would I had the tampering of them. I have nothing else at present to advice you, only desire you to be persuaded, that there is nothing in this world more dear to me then the remembrance of you my dearest brother; whom I pray God prosper in all your proceed, and let me have the happiness to see you Your Brother and friend, ✚ BRIAN I: ANSON. The Publisher to the Reader. NOw, Reader, I believe thou art persuaded, that this man hath sent over his heart unto us; for which we have little cause to thank him, because it was quite from the purpose of his heart so to do, that we should understand his affections towards us. But a Gracious Providence hath so disposed it, that we do understand his mind perfectly, and can raise all these questions forecited from his Text, and give Resolution from thence thereunto; All which his own hand hath made legible. But thou mayest make some question here, whether, knowing the heart of this man, how it stands bend, thou mayest make judgement, what is the mind of all the Papists in the world, in relation to GOD, the LORD CHRIST, and the rights of his Kingdom? Whereunto I answer from the clearest grounds (which I have neither time nor place to set down,) That, look what way this man bends his tongue, his heart and his head, all the Papists in the world, at this day, stand, like a bow, so bend; As face in water answers face, so doth the heart of one Papist answer another, They are all for the raising themselves in the world; And for the casting of the Church of God, and their rights and privileges out of the world. All these bloody characters are stamped: All these lines are drawn in the hearts of all the Papists in the world; from that Centre they put forth into the Circumference of the whole Universe. There is the Answer for that. Now make some use of thy knowledge. Learn 1. Who is the fountain of Grace in the Papists account? The Virgin Mary they say. An horrible blasphemy. She is but a vessel filled brimful from that fountain, the Lord Christ her Saviour. Therefore though this Papist has put up a prayer for his Country, regard it not, no more than his curse; nor th' one nor th' other can do any hurt, it is not in the hand of a mediator. Be assured now, that their prayer is a curse to themselves: and their curse is a blessing to us and our Land. 2. Thou hast learned, That the Lord Christ, blessed for ever, is the fountain of grace; From Him is every good and perfect gift: Therefore renounce gifts, graces, duties, all; and let thy soul runout all to that fountain the Lord Christ, Him alone, and none with Him. 3. Thank God, that thou hadst thy birth and breeding in a Land o'visions. A mercy! Thou must thank God for it; but it is no singular mercy: For the Scribe, who wrote these letters, was borne in the same Land, and had his breeding there in this very City; Yet he is what he is, and what he is thou understandest by his letters; Be thou thankful for the place of thy habitation, and that thou art not, as he is. 4. Labour after the power of godliness, drink in the Principles of GOD'S Truth; Let them sink down into thine heart; they shine with their own light; pray to GOD to shine upon thine heart; to give thee an eye wherewith to see; and an care, wherewith to hear; both these are from the Lord. This man had Principles too (upon my knowledge) at his tongue's end; they did not sink down: So had his brother; his Father also; these were well principled; they had the form of godliness, that they had; I know it, no man better: And for the first, the second brother the Scribe, he went into Spain because of persecution, saith he; an abominable lie say I; but after the manner; This is a truth, that thither he went; and there sold his Birthright, (I mean the true Religion, the Crown, and diadem of a person and people) this he sold for a wise, he thought good of the price, and they gave him the price; like to that, which is meant, by Thirty pieces of silver. Zech. 11. And the Lord of glory took it so ill now, as once he did, because He is dealt with so unworthily, so ingloriously, that he commanded now as once he did, cast it to the potter; let him make earthen gods of it: And so God hath left him to his own hardness. It is so with the Father the Knight, and his eldest son the Doctor: They went for true Protestants, and held on their profession, until they went to the King, to serve him▪ And now, if we may believe the Letter, they are as the younger brother is, who hath the Pope for his Father, his Church for his Mother; The stock on earth, and the Queen of Heaven, for his Godfather, and Godmother, these must undertake for him; therefore he asketh the stock blessing, worshipping it: and he expects all good from the Queen of Heaven, she is his Godmother sure. Therefore fifthly, Ask thy soul this question, What love hast thou to the Truth? A weak, faint, waterish love, God knows: Look to it, to strengthen it, else it will never carry thee-up to the work of Christ, nor can it keep thy heart close to it, so as to fulfil all His wills b Acts 13.38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. . This is an hot service thou art engaged upon now, it will put thee to cost: but if thy love be not strong, as strong as death, (and that overcommeth all) thou wilt never be at cost about it. That thou mayest not faint in thy mind, Look to that Affection, it is the great Centurion, the commander in the soul; Ask thy soul inrice over, Dost thou love Christ? And cease not, till thou canst in uprightness▪ of neart, appeal unto Him as Peter did; LORD Thou knowest that I love Thee: Then certain it is, nothing will be too hard to do; nothing too much to suffer for Him; but if this be wanting, all is wanting. I knew the●●●ne when the , made profession that they loved Christ; they did not; they hated Him; for remiss love is called hatred, and as it is called, so it is, and accounted: And now it is so with them; the wages of iniquity was tendered to their eye; they embraced it, and have blundered-on as Balaam did, against the drawn sword, And so read the judgement; they a●e delivered up to believe lies, and to a sense reprobate; Let the Word of GOD, and then the love of God, dwell richly in you, Amen. In the last place, that it may be first and last remembered, I will put to thee and my own soul, these two questions, and let us labour to put both out of question. 1. Do I put forth myself? does my soul runout in as earnest desire and pursuit, to rise in God's favour, as the men of the world do, to rise in the favour of the world? O let us labour to put this out of question; And to help our consideration, and that we may do as aforesaid, let us compare favour with favour; preferment with preferment; the favour of a man, with the favour of a God; preferment in the Court of Kings, with that in Heaven, to be there, as the Lord Christ is, in glory: And let us remember withal, or else all is nothing, 2 Cor 59 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that the favour of God, (that is) to be accepted of Him, is the greatest preferment; But it must be laboured for with the same labour of love, as men have had, who have laboured after a Bishopric; or if you will, a Crown of gold. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Clem. Al. Stro. 1.7. p. 100L. A Crown of Glory must be so laboured after: The Kingdom of God also suffers violence, and the violent take it by force; let us put this out of question. 2. Do I put forth myself? am I as active for GOD, for CHRIST and His cause, as are the enemies of all Righteousness, active for Anti-christ, the promoting his cause? If we are but as active, it sufficeth; And than our hands, heads, hearts will be all a work for God: only this we must not do, not lie for God, not do wickedly for God; we must do as they do, with the same activity of spirit, for CHRIST, as they for Anti-christ. We are for God, we must work as God doth, in our measure, holily, righteously, there is no unrighteousness in Him. Work so, and work on; Let head work, and tongue work, and hand work, heart, soul and spirit work, it is for our Master in Heaven, and His Cause, a good Master and as good a Cause, He will plentifully reward the work is done for Him, seven fold into our bosom. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the works of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. FINIS.